UFC Fight Night 30: Main Card Predictions

John Lineker (22-6) vs. Phil Harris (22-10)

Flyweights have consistently delivered a high dose of entertainment inside the Octagon and the same should be true when it comes to Lineker-Harris. Harris has finished seventeen of the opponents he’s beaten, while Lineker hits harder than any other 125er out there and has ten knockouts to his credit as evidence. The former is more accomplished on the mat and should target takedowns from early on in the affair but he has been stopped in all but one of his losses and can only avoid Lineker’s power for so long. / PREDICTION: John Lineker def. Phil Harris via TKO

Alessio Sakara (15-10) vs. Nicholas Musoke (10-2-1)

Despite being a striker who is happy to engage in all-out brawls if necessary, Sakara can’t afford a stumble this weekend after dropping three straight. He’s also got the added pressure of facing a newcomer like Musoke who is somewhat of an unknown commodity. Based on his record, the well-rounded Swede has looked sharp on the regional scene and has no problem finishing foes on the ground or while standing. However, Musoke’s lack of experience could cause him to hesitate in the Octagon, and Sakara is seasoned enough to take advantage of any holes he sees. Expect a hard-fought effort from both with Sakara coming out victorious in the end. / PREDICTION: Alessio Sakara def. Nicholas Musoke via Unanimous Decision

Norman Parke (18-2) vs. Jon Tuck (7-0)

Tuck is undefeated but he’s got a stiff challenge in front of him he’ll have to overcome in order to maintain his perfect mark. Parke looked good en route to winning TUF: Smashes and followed the run up with a Unanimous Decision nod over Kazuki Tokudome in July. Throw in the fact Tuck hasn’t fought in essentially a year and the odds are even more in Parke’s favor. Expect “Stormin” Norman’s grappling and ground control to be enough to pull out the victory by providing him with superior time on top. / PREDICTION: Norman Parke def. Jon Tuck via Unanimous Decision

Jimi Manuwa (13-0) vs. Ryan Jimmo (18-2)

Manuwa has established himself as a fighter to watch after entering the UFC with a ton of hype brought on by his success overseas. He’s lived up to the billing so far by dismantling Cyrille Diabate and Kyle Kingsbury, but he has yet to be tested by an above-average adversary. Enter Jimmo, a good wrestler with knockout power who has shown some solid durability in past efforts. He’s beaten plenty of respectable opponents as well and is seasoned enough to avoid being overwhelmed by Manuwa’s presence. Expect Jimmo to attempt to push Manuwa into the second and third rounds to test the shredded striker’s cardio, holding up against the cage or shooting takedowns as a means of draining energy and avoiding any big blows. / PREDICTION: Ryan Jimmo def. Jimi Manuwa via Unanimous Decision

Melvin Guillard (31-12-2) vs. Ross Pearson (15-6)

On paper it might appear as though Pearson has a route to victory on the ground when it comes to his clash with Guillard. However, just because Pearson has the same number of submission wins as strike-based stoppages doesn’t mean he has what it takes to tap “The Young Assassin”. None of his subs have come in the Octagon and he’s shown himself to be a boxer more than anything over the past few years. In that regard, Pearson’s in trouble, as his technique is on a level similar to Guillard’s but he lacks the same power. Pearson’s only hope is fighting defensively, picking Guillard apart with jabs and outside kicks while staying out of the pocket. Unfortunately for his fans, it’s tough to teach an old dog new ticks and Pearson’s likely to engage at some point. When that goes down, so will he. / PREDICTION: Melvin Guillard def. Ross Pearson via TKO

Lyoto Machida (19-4) vs. Mark Munoz (13-3)

It’s nice to see Machida’s middleweight debut coming against a game opponent like Munoz, as fans will get an immediate feeling for how “The Dragon” should perform in his new divisional surroundings. He was always a slightly-small light heavyweight and friend/teammate Anderson Silva’s future is hazy beyond his UFC 168 bout with champ Chris Weidman, so the move definitely makes sense. On the flipside, Munoz looked exceptional against Tim Boetsch in July, especially considering his length layoff due to injury and some mental struggles. He’s got to get Machida onto the ground to win, though that’s much easier said than done. After all, Machida’s beaten wrestlers like Randy Couture, Rashad Evans, Ryan Bader, and Dan Henderson. The 35-year old Brazilian should find similar success against Munoz, keeping action upright and testing his chin to the point it fails. / PREDICTION: Lyoto Machida def. Mark Munoz via TKO

The UFC has set up shop in England for the second time this year, delivering a show slightly short on star-power but still stacked with talent. Headlined by a middleweight meeting between Lyoto Machida-Mark Munoz, the evening’s main card UFC Fight Night 30 also features notable match-ups such as Jimi-Manuwa-Ryan Jimmo and Melvin Guillard-Ross Pearson. Of course, there are plenty of up-and-comers looking to cement their divisional status as well, providing fans with plenty of material worth watching when it comes to Saturday night’s event. (Photos by USA Today Sports Images)

Completly agree with ever pick, still sucks that Bisping couldnt take this fight as I feel he would have won as well, hope to see Bisping vs the Dragon soon, could be a pretty sweet fight as the Count is very fast and could get a decision from Machida.